Motorists are being urged to reduce their speed and be mindful of vulnerable road users as part of National “Slow Down Day”.
The national speed enforcement operation, spearheaded by An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority (RSA), will take place for a 24-hour period from 7am on Thursday the 21st October.
As part of the operation, there will be high visibility speed enforcement in 1322 speed enforcement zones across the State.
The aim of “Slow Down Day” is to remind drivers of the dangers of speeding and increase compliance with speed limits.
By doing this, it is hoped that the number of speed related collisions will be reduced, which in turn will save lives and decrease the number of road injuries.
Rural roads
Gardaí have said drivers speeding on rural roads will be targeted during the operation.
This is due to 4 out of 5 road fatalities occurring on rural roads in 2021.
Speaking about the operation, Superintendent Thomas Murphy of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau explained the risks on rural roads.
“It is important to thank all of those drivers who do the right thing and drive not only within the necessary speed limits, but at speeds that are appropriate to the conditions,” Superintendent Murphy said.
“However, there are some drivers who ignore our speed limits and put themselves and others at risk.
“This is especially true on rural roads which are often narrow, and where bends and corners restrict a driver’s vision.
“There are no margins for error on these roads which is why drivers need to slow down when using them.
“We are asking all drivers to support our National ‘Slow Down’ Day not just on ‘Slow Down Day’ but every day,” he added
“If we all slow down a little, we can make a big difference.
“A 1 per cent reduction in average speed will bring about a 4 per cent reduction in fatal collisions, and therefore reducing motorists’ speed is essential to improving road safety.”
